Apple urges Arizona governor to veto anti-gay bill

Apple has spoken out and is urging the governor of Arizona, Republican Jan Brewer, to veto a bill that would allow for business owners to deny service to those of the LGBT community.

The legislation in question is Senate Bill 1062, which was passed last week, and since then there has been an outcry of criticism over the decision. Along with three state senators, Republican Senator John McCain has called for a veto as well.

“I think laws are (already) on the books that we need, and have now seen the ramifications of my vote,” said Arizona state Senator Bob Worsley to the Associated Press. “I feel very bad, and it was a mistake.”

On the other side of the “debate” is the Center for Arizona Policy, which is a social conservative group that’s trying to get the bill passed. Their president, Cathi Herrod, argues that this is a matter of religious freedom.

“The attacks on SB 1062 … represent precisely why so many people are sick of the modern political debate,” Herrod wrote in the CAP’s website. “Instead of having an honest discussion about the true meaning of religious liberty, opponents of the bill have hijacked this discussion through lies, personal attacks, and irresponsible reporting.

“Our elected leaders have a fundamental duty to protect the religious freedom of every Arizonan, and that’s what SB 1062 is all about,’ she added.

Along with Apple, Doug Parker CEO of American Airlines has spoken out against this bill, and argues that it would hurt Arizona’s economy.

“There is genuine concern throughout the business community that this bill, if signed into law, would jeopardize all that has been accomplished so far,” Parker wrote.

“Wholly apart from the stated intent of this legislation,” he also said, “the reality is that it has the very real potential of slowing down the momentum we have achieved by reducing the desire of businesses to locate in Arizona and depressing the travel and tourism component of the economy if both convention traffic and individual tourists decide to go elsewhere.”